2 adults, 2 juveniles busted in Elwyn pharmacy heist

MIDDLETOWN -- Two adults and two juveniles were arrested in connection with a mid-morning robbery Monday at the Elwyn Pharmacy.

Police have not released the names of the suspects, one of whom allegedly displayed a gun and demanded money from a cashier working in the front of the pharmacy at 194 S. Middletown Road.

According to a press release from Pennsylvania State Police, witnesses saw two males enter a vehicle on a nearby street. A police officer from Trainer spotted the vehicle a short time later, followed it into Chester, and initiated a traffic stop that resulted in the arrests.

A 16-year-old and 17-year-old from Chester and 29-year-old and 43-year-old from Philadelphia were taken into custody.

"We've been on the alert for this because of other robberies at independent pharmacies in the area," said Joe Giorno, chief operating officer of Elwyn Pharmacy. "We had a lot of staff on and they reacted perfectly. They pushed the silent alarm and within a minute state police was there. It happened so quickly that it resulted in an arrest."

Giorno said the robbers came in with "masks on and hoods up," displayed at least one handgun and made off with approximately $100 from a register at the front of the store. "We were between shifts and had a minimum of 10 people on," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they saw all the people back there moving around and communicating and decided to get out of there. They never made it to the back of the pharmacy."

Giorno said his staff was shaken up but unharmed.

"The most important thing is that everyone is safe," he said. "Obviously they were scared but everyone is OK. We let them go home to be with their families."

Delaware County pharmacies have become a popular target for thieves the past few months.

The Woodlyn Pharmacy in Ridley Township was robbed of cash and narcotics by two men on the afternoon of Feb. 19. In that incident, one of the perpetrators also held a gun to a female customer's head and stole her iPhone.

That night, Pennsylvania State Police responded to an armed robbery at the Concord Pharmacy in the 400 block of Baltimore Pike. When they arrived, troopers found three employees in the rest room with their hands bound.

State Police said four black males, one displaying a silver handgun, entered the pharmacy before closing wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks. They demanded money and narcotics before tying up the employees with zip ties.

On the afternoon of March 12, two gunman wearing hoodies robbed the Walgreen's on Naamans Creek Road in Upper Chichester. According to police, one suspect went to the register in the front of the store and stole an undisclosed amount of cash while his companion hopped the pharmacy counter and made off with narcotics.

It is unclear whether the crimes are related.

Giorno credited Pennsylvania State Police for beefing up patrols at the Elwyn Pharmacy.

"They have been doing a great job policing our pharmacy, making themselves visible and present and being there for open and close," he said. "They make a point of being there when the staff comes and when the staff leaves."

Giorno turned over surveillance video of the robbery to state troopers and said it did not take long before friends at other pharmacies checked in to see how he and the staff were doing.

"All of the independents kind of stick together and look out for each other," he said. "It's a bunch of good guys."